Sucking Grapes

IN NAPLES’ VINEYARDS FALANGHINA STILL THRIVES ON ITS OWN ROOTSTOCKS RESISTING THE CONCRETE WAVE

One of Italy’s great strength, and still not properly appreciated by wine lovers in general, spoiled as they are with wines of high quality coming from this peninsula but often produced from international grape varieties, is its treasure trove of indigenous vines. It must be said, that some are quite obscure and produced in such low quantities, that they will never reach international markets, but more often these amazing wines struggle to find an appreciative palate especially over here, due to the unfamiliarity with their taste. Still, indigenous grape varieties may catch the wave anytime, as there seems to be consensus in the UK wine trade on a general fatigue with Chardonnay & Co. as well as the fact that, arguably, the notion of terroir is far better expressed by vines, which have adapted themselves over hundreds of years to the soils of a given region. (more…)

THE CHIANTI CLASSICO CONSORZIO’S INVESTIGATION INTO HIGH ALTITUDE VINEYARDS

The Consorzio of Chianti Classico, the association of producers and bottlers of that most emblematic of Italian wines (often for all the wrong reasons), is one of the most switched on when it comes to promoting the product on a national and international scale. It plays a far bigger role in upgrading the wine than most producers would be willing to admit, by means of ongoing research in all areas concerning the production of Chianti Classico, from viticultural aspects (for example, it ignited a continuous investigation at the beginning of the 1980s in superior clones) to laboratory analysis of the wines and indepth soil composition research, in an effort to pull Chianti Classico out of the shadow of its former mediocrity. (more…)